Heroes

Chapter 13: Rising

"It was really nice to talk to someone who understands. Maybe you could pop in some other time." Steve suggested.

Nico shrugged, non-committal as always, "Yeah, maybe."  But this time I thought he might actually come back.

"Hey, Percy, before I leave, I have some important news that might interest you." 

Great. "News about what?"

Nico looked around the room, like he wasn't sure he wanted everyone to hear what he was going to say. I guess he decided I would tell them about it anyway,  because he started to explain something terrible, "Grover's told me that he's getting reports from Keepers about strange monster activity."

"Strange, how?" By now, Nico held the attention of everyone in the room. 

"Keepers are reporting less attacks on demigods in schools-"

"That's good, right?" asked Clint. 

Nico glared at him before continuing, "But, when attacks do happen, monsters gang up on the demigod. They're hunting demigods in a pack."

My mouth dropped, "But....besides werewolves, monsters don't have any leadership or team structure, right?"

Nico shrugged grimly, "That's what we thought. Grover says the Keepers have been able to identify a leader in every pack, and the groups just keep getting bigger, though they only stick with their species. At first it was only three or four in a group, but the last report counted 15 dracnae attacking together, with a 16th giving orders."

"Orders? Are we at war again? Has anyone asked Rachel about this?"

"She said there was no prophesy because the threat wasn't aimed at us."

"Not aimed at us? So the attacks on demigods aren't aimed at us?'

Nico shrugged again, "Rachel said the monsters just happened upon the demigods, but they have a bigger plan that will take down the mortal world."

Natasha spoke up, "Great. Well, at least that explains why needed Percy on the Avengers." 

I nodded, "The threat is Greek, but aimed at mortals like you. Put me on the team and we might stand a chance." Something was nagging me, though. Fury knew nothing about my powers, so there is no way he was the one who thought I would be needed in the future to deal with an unforeseen threat. That means a god arranged for me to be on the team, but which god actually cared about mortals enough to want me to stop this attack? My dad maybe, or Hermes, he was pretty cool. 

"What?" said Clint, "You don't think we could take a few monsters on our own?"

"Do you have any Celestial bronze, Imperial gold, or Stygian iron?" Nico taunted with a raised eyebrow. 

"Well, no-"

"Then you don't stand a chance. No matter how good you are," Nico smirked.

"Alright, alright," I interfered before things got violent. "Nico, have you talked to Annabeth about this?"

"I tried to but I couldn't Travel to her for some reason. I thought you could ask her, since I'm sure you can get to her."

I nodded, "I'll ask her tonight."

"That's all the info I have, so I'll be off now," Nico mock-saluted and walked into a shadow created by a pantry door. 

"See you," I said before he disappeared. 

"OK, that was super cool," said Tony who had just walked into the kitchen as Nico faded. He walked over and touched the shadow Nico walked through, like he expected it to be a portal. "Where did he go?"